anybody ever use foam cylinders for a parachute? I was playing around at the vise today and tied up a parachute adams using a 3/32 diameter foam cylinder for parachute material. it makes a perfect parachute and is quite a bit easier to tie in and post up than calf hair. also, you can get them in whatever crazy neon color you'd like for hi-vis. here's the things I'm talking about. the actual fly is in a tree somewhere on little river.

They are some of my favorite post material. Easy to tie on, the hackle bites into the post making it easy to wrap, and they are easy to see. They also float well and don't become water logged like some material.

Trevor, I've used those post for several of my patterns. I tried them on parachute flies and the hackle does bite into the foam very well. Be sure to pull up on the post when wrapping, this makes it tighter. I like to use it as a sight indicator on top of other flies as well, especially terrestrials. I think the Hopper pattern I gave you had one on top of it. You can also use flat craft foam as well. I don't have a pict. of any of my parachutes but this is a variation of the West Yellowstone Clodhopper. Tied with brown foam and deerhair with the foam sight on top. Tied in size #12 to #6 for august time periods when the hoppers have turned brown. Have you and PA started tying yet for Montana?

I was in Yellowstone mid- August last year and the hoppers were brown. I checked several of the area flyshop fishing reports for several weeks prior to the trip. The grasses in the open praries around the rivers are brown so the hoppers usually are also. Ant patterns and beetles are widely used also. I fished a 2 fly rig with a larger hopper up front and about 18-20" behind was a #14 para cinnamon/black ant and caught fish on both equally well. I wouldn't spend alot of time tying unless you like to experiment like I do. The local shops will have plenty of good patterns.
The Schroder para- hoppers are a good pattern also.

Sidenote: I recently talked to my guide from last year and he said the late season snowfalls have provided a 110% snowpack. Hebgen Lake is full and the madison is getting good flows already. The fishing should be fantastic all season in all the rivers!

Troutman
What is the weather like that you encountered in Mid August? I'm heading that way to fish the Beartooth Mountains (Just outside of Cooke City) from Mid- August till Mid September. 5 years ago, I took a video of a 3 inch snowfall at 10,000 feet on August 1st. It's strange to fish where they encourage you to EAT BROOKIES. The limit is 20 fish (Brookies) under 8 inches.

Wow! How do you guys get the time to take 1 month fishing trips? Sounds like I need to change occupations! The weather I encountered my first trip to Yellowstone in Oct. 2003 was much different from this past year. It started off in the 50s for several days and then it snowed 8" and remained below 20 deg. the rest of the week. Great fishing and we had the rivers to ourselves. This past August it was usually cool around 30deg. in the mornings and warmed to the high 60s during the day. Perfect weather for everything. The winds in the Madison, Yellowstone and Lamar river valleys were strong in the afternoons and made for tough casting. The rivers were low due to low snowpacks but still very fishable.
Trevor as far as flies go, I would take the basics. Sparkle duns are very popular and lots of terrestrials. I think the fishing is easier out there compared to the Smokies. You will probably hear that alot. Best person I know locally to talk to about Yellowstone area would be either Tim Doyle or Jack Gregory. Track them down at the LRTU meetings. They have made numerous multi-week trips out there and have probably fished most of the rivers.